The Port of Vancouver USA has added television and radio advertising to its community outreach program to help raise awareness of the port, its projects and its local partnerships.
According to port officials, the addition of TV and radio spots aims to broaden the public’s understanding of the port’s mission, its economic benefits and its major projects.
“We’re a hub for industry in our region, generating $2.9 billion in economic value and directly supporting 3,200 jobs, yet many people aren’t even aware they have a port,” said Chief External Affairs Officer Ryan Hart. “These are some far-reaching communications tools to share with the public the great things happening here at the port.”
A recent port commissioned district-wide poll revealed that 85 percent of those surveyed support the port’s mission to provide jobs and economic benefit to the community. However, only about half of those polled felt familiar enough with the port to rate its performance on this mission.
“This reflects an observation Commissioner [Eric] LaBrant shared with us,” said Hart. “While doorbelling during his campaign in 2015, he was surprised by the number of people who didn’t know they had a port.
“We’ve been talking about TV and radio for a while, and after hearing the commissioner’s comment, we were even more determined to broaden our campaign and improve public awareness,” he added.
Ads began running this month on Comcast stations and dozens of local radio stations.
The port’s community outreach program already includes public tours, community newsletters and ads in local publications.
